Turned
by Atemusluckygal
Summary: Post-apocalyptic. Duel Monsters everywhere are crossing into the realm of the living, with a new and mysterious infection that is killing people faster than any mass genocide, war, or plague in history. The worst of it isn't dying... it's turning. Yugi is gone, and hope is becoming part of the past - what life once was. AtemxTéa.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!.**

To be honest, I'm not sure where I'm going with this one. It just happened one night. If you catch anything at all resembling the concept of the Walking Dead, you might be onto something.

I am developing another chapter to this, even though it's currently taking a backseat to **Wake in the Clouds Ch 8**. I don't know how long it will be, but it won't be a full-fledged multi-chapter novel. Might be 2-4 chapters. In any case, please enjoy :D

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Deep slumber was interrupted by rough hands gently shaking his shoulders. Atem felt like he had just closed his eyes just moments before being woken up again. It was time for his shift. And it was Joey's turn to sleep a few hours. Not a moment would the group go unwatched. It was much too dangerous to underestimate what danger could arise at the blink of an eye.

Atem rubbed his eyes groggily, in desperate need of adequate sleep. He heard Joey mumble something, though it was hard to distinguish real words, perhaps from his thick metropolitan New Yorker accent or the fact that Atem's ears weren't up to full function yet. In any case, it was probably something to the effect of "wake the hell up, it's your turn". Atem glanced over at Téa, who lied beside him, sleeping soundly and undisturbed.

In the tent, Atem finally crawled out of his musty sleeping bag, reaching for his thick fleece to shield himself from the early winter three-in-the-morning weather. If there was anything that was going to keep him awake enough, it was that his face felt like a block of ice. It wasn't snowing yet, but his and Joey's breath frosted visibly in the chilly air. They quietly rotated positions – Joey sleeping in one of the tents and Atem guarding camp.

Atem stared out into the vast reaches of the empty wilderness that surrounded them. The map placed them in Domino City, but they were no longer in Domino City… at least, what it once was. They were in a wasteland. A wasteland that no longer had cities, greenery, people… any living things… aside from the survivors scattered around the globe. It was surely an apocalypse of the sort, and the only way to live was to fight for your life.

Atem thought of all the people so far who they have lost – Duke, Bandit Keith, Marik, Mai, Rex, Weevil, Leon, Solomon…

And Yugi. Yugi was missing, and had been for many weeks, and Atem was slowly beginning to lose faith. He couldn't let the group – the meager gathering of people, his friends, who've escaped death – believe that Yugi seemed to be as good as gone… or worse.

Yes, worse. Because the only thing that could be worse than seeing someone you love die or disappear forever was seeing them _turn_. And when they did, you were saddled with the responsibility to take them out of this world yourself, or you and everyone you love would be demolished.

Letting go a heavy sigh that misted in the frigid air, Atem let his head sink in his hands. It was difficult for him to keep himself from falling asleep, and so he let his mind run, mulling over all the unanswered questions that leeched on everyone's minds like a parasitic infection.

_Where and when did this all begin?_

_How did it start?_

What _is it?_

_Is there a cure?_

_How many people are left?_

_Where is Yugi…_

He turned his knuckles over and lightly examined them… they were still scabbed and caked with dried blood. Most of it may have been his, but some of it was his victim's – the Duel Monster Summoned Skull, who once was Solomon Motou. The Summoned Skull was the Monster that lived within Solomon's spirit, so when he was attacked…

When a person turned, it was because they were wounded, or killed, by a Duel Monster. Rather, an _infected_ Duel Monster. No one had even a legitimate theory on what the infection was or where it came from, but the only thing they knew was to stay clear of infection _at any cost_. Because once you turned… there was no coming back. That part of you, the part that made you who you were, was gone. And your soul was reincarnated into a creature of which represented your inner aura – your spirit monster. And the infections' only objective was to infect and kill. And it used your own body to do so.

Atem did what he could with Solomon after he turned, physically holding him back from the group despite the Skull's immense size, while being torn by both massive talons and a major moral ultimatum. To protect his people? Or to preserve the life of the man who housed him, supported him, and treated him as his own grandson? Until perhaps they found a cure...

And then there was that strong emotion that boiled inside of Atem that grew like a black poison in his heart – _hatred_. Hatred at Solomon because he was the one who led the decline in hope of finding Yugi alive. Solomon had given up first, and surrendered himself during battle against enemy attackers, but not before planting the seed of doubt in the group's minds. That his grandson – his _real_ grandson – would never come back to him, that even if they found him he would be dead or transformed, and nothing in life would be worth living anymore.

Atem hated that Solomon doubted Yugi's safe return, because he was beginning to internalize it himself. He could feel the tendrils of surrender gripping his veins like a rapid-running fever. He could feel his body draining of physical and mental resilience. And, like Solomon, his will to go on was dwindling. It would only be a matter of time before he ended up like him. And the group soon after would meet the same fate, surely.

Yugi was a strong and brave kid; he took off on his own to distract the Harpie Lady, once Mai Valentine, attacking the camp while Atem led everyone to safety. "I'll come back!" Yugi promised, as he determinedly ran directly east from the camp. And just like that, before Atem could even think to call him back, Yugi and the Harpie Lady vanished. Since then, there were no signs of him or Mai to ever be traced. All seemed like a dead end. All seemed hopeless.

What was interesting about such bleak circumstances, when the odds were stacked high against the living and it seemed impossible that it could become any worse, it _always_ _did_. And Atem was forced to add new emotions to his already-exhausted mental state. He wasn't even fully capable of comprehending what happened, as his emotional state was so high and his heart was so vulnerable… and so was hers.

It was beneath the moonlight of the previous night, when Joey was keeping watch and Mai was no longer there to inhabit the tent that she and Téa shared before Mai's transformation. Atem had occupied the space instead, refusing to let her sleep alone. With Joey and Tristan in the other tent, each group had at least one protector.

And that was supposed to be his only purpose in that tent. To _protect_ her. But when he witnessed her tears falling, her body shaking from being overwhelmed by emotions and the frigid cold, he began to offer a warm and comforting gesture with the most innocent of intentions. And she caught him completely off guard as she pulled his face into hers and kissed him.

He knew it was coming; he felt this impending situation coming close to fruition, and he had decided within himself to calmly and softly reject her efforts, preferably to avoid them altogether. But the very moment their lips made contact erupted the long-neglected desperation for affection within him, and took full control of everything that made him move, feel, or think. The forbidden act felt like a sweet, consuming poison. For the first time in a long time, the safety and survival of the group was shoved to the back of his mind.

Atem tangled his fingers in Téa's hair, with the other hand softly holding the side of her neck. Everything just felt so wonderful, and the act of it was so terrible. The foundation between right and wrong was quickly dissolving and becoming no more than a distant consideration as a part of what life once was. Atem needed to feel _alive_ for once; he was so tired of shutting himself down to the cruel word that they ended up in, fighting himself to stay level-headed and remain the leader and protector he was, despite the ones he cared about were constantly being eradicated and turned against him. He was tired of keeping his guard up to anyone who might have wanted to hurt him or someone he loved.

He was tired of it all. And, he guessed, so was Téa. The sensual bliss of this intimate human contact could not be resisted or fought against at this point. It was needed… somehow, it was right.

One thing led to another, both participants longing for the other's bare skin against theirs. Dirty and blood-stained clothing were removed and thrown aside. When Atem finally collected his consciousness, he found himself, completely nude, on top of Téa – whose legs surrounded him, hands gripping his forearms, and expression showing that of desperate longing. She was more than ready for it, and if there was any sense of reason left to save Atem from carrying through, it wasn't enough.

In the present, he couldn't think of a time since Yugi's disappearance and the demolition of Solomon that he had felt this angry at himself. How could he allow things to become complicated even further? Did Téa truly love him? Or was she only looking for what he wanted… a release? An escape from a world of predators, starvation, and turned loved ones?

But Atem knew that he did feel… something. He knew it before the world went to hell and he was sure his feelings were evolving to something beyond friendship. It was a secret only he and Yugi knew. Now, he felt that he might've been the only one alive who knew.

It was perhaps nearing 6am as the temperature took a major plunge. Atem could no longer quell his body's shaking, and he hugged his fleece tighter to himself. He, Tristan, Joey had suffered through multiple colds and illnesses from keeping watch at night, and the only reason they were still alive was owed to the abandoned pharmacy down the block from where they were, where they stocked themselves full with a variety of medicines, food, and other essentials. In fact – raiding uninhabited homes, grocery stores, pharmacies, and warehouses were the only things that kept _any_ of them alive. Sure, most new places they encountered started as a battleground before anything was available to be taken, but they made it through and they were _still_ _alive_.

Atem still had an hour left of watch, and the sun's rays were beginning to peak over the mountaintops. The air was still stiffly chilly, but at least the splashes of pink and orange brightened up the gloominess that settled itself in the desolate wilderness surrounding them.

A shuffle in the tent behind him caused Atem to whip his body around in an automatic defensive position. A few tense seconds passed, and the "threat" was only Téa emerging from the tent, rubbing her sleepy eyes and groaning hoarsely. Atem slowly relaxed, his heart still sprinting.

"Mmm… morning," mumbled Téa as she slowly brought her gaze to him. She sauntered over to his watch post, smiling softly at him.

"Good morning, Téa," croaked Atem. He hadn't spoken a word for many hours, and his voice was audibly exhausted. "Why are you up?"

"Can't sleep."

All Atem could bring himself to do in response was to nod silently. The air was still unclear between them, and he unfortunately lacked the social skills to bring up the situation and avoid awkwardness. He thought of it… once, twice, three times even… of simply confessing his feelings for her, breaking the mystery of their intimate acts from the night before. Would it provide the closure they needed? Or…

"There's a can of string beans in that bag over there, if you're hungry," said Atem.

Téa smiled lightly as she glanced at the bag with slight disproval. "I hate string beans."

Chuckling, Atem reached for the bag anyway. "It might be the only thing you get to eat for a while."

He held out the can to her, his hand shaking violently in the cold climate. "I hate mushrooms, and I managed to eat a whole can of cream of mushroom soup the other day. I'm pretty sure I would've rather shoved my face in a skunk's ass, but I did it anyway."

She took the can hesitantly, eyeing the label. "I think I would rather eat the skunk." Her expression was playful and humored, but he still sensed that she was troubled by something. Then again, maybe she really did not like green beans.

"I always thought they were nasty," Téa began, "in fact… when I was in junior high, my Mom was convinced that the more she made me eat them, the more likely I'd develop a taste for them. She put them on my dinner plate every friggin' night of the week and I hated it.

So one day, after eating what felt like a larger amount of string beans than usual, I told my mom my throat was starting to itch," she giggled mischievously, "and she freaked out. She took my temperature, talked to our doctor, and spent like four hours online. She finally concluded that I had a string bean allergy, and never again did she make me eat a single one."

Atem laughed softly, careful to not wake the others. "Was that true? Did you ever actually have an allergy?"

She shook her head, still grinning ear to ear, "Never had an allergy. Actually, she still thinks – "

Something interrupted her. Her face diminished to a bleak sadness, as her eyes fell to her lap. "Well, she thought, I guess… I mean…"

Atem reached over and took her hand without missing a beat. His bare, chilled hand found comfort in the warmth of her glove. Téa seemed to notice little of it, frowning into the fire, and the way she breathed suggested resistance to a release of emotions.

"S-sorry," she offered shakily, clearing her throat loudly, "I guess I just… for a second… forgot that she isn't here…"

"It's fine. I know it's… difficult to accept."

She touched his hand holding hers with her other glove. "Yugi also hates string beans."

Atem chuckled a bit. "Yes he did. That boy would eat anything, and yet had never taken a liking to them. Although… I don't think he had ever gone as far as faking an allergy."

"Yeah, I guess he does not hate them as much as I do."

"I suppose he didn't."

Just like that, Téa's mood shifted, like day and night, withdrawing her hands away from his. She faced him with an unwavering, flabbergasted stare. "Why do you keep speaking of Yugi in the past tense?"

Atem froze, taken completely off guard by the question, and the reaction he did not expect. He didn't even realize exactly what he was saying. "Why… what do you mean?"

"You keep talking about Yugi like he is a thing of the past. As if he's already gone…" she faced away from him, shifting her gaze back to the fire with contemptuous eyes, "…like you've already given up on him."

Still stunned into speechlessness, Atem could only stutter without words coming out. It was true; he was really starting to lose hope for the return of his younger friend, and little did he know that his diminishing faith had transpired into the way he spoke of him, and it was likely that the entire group had picked up on it by now.

"Twenty-four," Atem said simply, once he could find his words. He was met with a puzzled expression. "Twenty-four days since he went missing. Twenty-four days away from food, water, shelter, protection. Without friends to keep up his morale. Perhaps, if he's still alive, he is without proper sleep. I already can only barely live with myself, letting him go like that. But the day my hopes are high and I find him either dead or turned, it would be over for me. The devastation would be too much. I have to prepare myself with the possibility that the worst that can happen has happened. Eventually, you will all begin to think the same."

"You're wrong," she determinedly replied. "Joey and Tristan… they still believe in Yugi, as they always have. Atem… you of all people cannot throw in the towel. You just can't. We will find Yugi, or he will find us, as long as we _all_ believe in him. That includes the person who is largely responsible for the brave, independent young man he has grown up to be."

Téa stood up suddenly, disengaging their hands – but not her stare. "In case you didn't know, that's _you_."

The fire's crackling filled the empty silence between the two survivors of Domino City. It seemed as though Téa were waiting for some sort of affirmative response. When she realized that her conversation partner was, again, at a loss for words, she quietly marched back into the tent. Atem was left alone, again, to his thoughts and a sinking feeling of guilt.

It was in the extremely rare cases in which Téa had become angry with him that Atem realized he needed some solid reflection and reevaluation of his disposition. Téa was an incredibly intelligent girl with a sharp head on her shoulders and an optimism that shined from her being. She wouldn't become angry with someone unless it was for a _very_ good reason. It seemed as though he had willingly provided her with one.

In truth, he hadn't realized exactly when he began speaking of Yugi in the past tense. It was all semantics to him until that moment, when the truth was so painfully thrown to him. He didn't like being or doing wrong, obviously, but it was more than his pride that was hurt this time. He hurt Yugi. He hurt Téa, too. What would Yugi think of Atem if he knew that he had given up his resolve so easily? If the situation were reversed and he were the one missing, wouldn't have Yugi given up by now? He considered that Yugi was much more openly compassionate than he, and had proven many times that his trust in his friends was virtually unbreakable; it could stand the test of time, abuse, and moments of uncertainty. It was something about the boy that Atem had always admired. Rarely had been the moments when Atem felt like such a fool.

The fire was beginning to die out as the sun rose. It was still much too cold; Atem realized that they were nearly out of lighter fluid. He sprinkled a few drops into the logs and blew gently, bringing the modest flame back to life. It was about time to wake up Tristan.

It was a crisp morning of a brand new day, and another day to hope. Hope to find Yugi. Hope to find a cure. Hope for a safe haven. Hope for love, not just because it's needed, but because it's wanted. Hope for peace, security, and resuming a sense of normalcy in their lives.

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TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
